Is This The Beginning Of The End For Anthony Joshua?

Anthony Joshua is one of the shining lights in British Boxing. The 29-year-old heavyweight professional has had a glowing career to date, winning three out of four major titles in his division. So, the stage was set for another knockout in his debut across the Atlantic – surely?

He faced off with Andy Ruiz Jr. in Madison Square Garden, New York, who the bookies and the experts all tipped to hit the canvas early. However, Anthony Joshua was the one to hit the canvas four times in the fight, with the ref stopping the bout after the final fall.

What The Defeat Means

Not only did Joshua lose his titles, but he also lost his invincibility tag, according to fellow British heavyweight, David Haye. It was a fight that the bookmakers and fans may not have seen coming, but a quote by Joshua midweek may now be seen as a sign that he was expecting more of a rollercoaster fight than the rest of us expected.

It was reported that Joshua told McKracken, his trainer, that he would consider giving up on the sport if he had to keep fighting in fights that resembled his win over Wladimir Klitschko back in 2017. The exact situation that Joshua was relaying his discomfort for came to fruition in his face off with Ruiz Jr. – bringing one question to the forefront. Is this the start of the end for Anthony Joshua?

So, Is this The Start Of The End For Anthony Joshua?

The truth is nobody knows. He is not likely to hang up the gloves for many more years and has already told commentators that this is a learning curve that will help him develop for the future. You would have to be a brave man to bet against him winning his next bout, especially when he now has something to prove to the murmurs coming from a section of new doubters.

But, is that really what the question is asking? Even if Joshua wins the rest of his fights, there is a chance fans will no longer see him in the same light. Undefeated Anthony Joshua was once a reality and now he is a distant memory. There is nobody doubting Anthony Joshua’s amazing talents and commitment, but he may never be spoken about in the same breaths that he was before his New York outing.

The Best Boxers Rarely Go Undefeated

Mayweather fans may scoff at the idea of the best boxers will still lose some fights, but in reality, it is true. Lennox Lewis blamed complacency for his loss to Hasim Rahman and arguably the greatest ever Muhammad Ali lost five fights during his whole career. When you see statistics like that, maybe we should all calm down and wait to see the reaction from the Joshua camp in the coming months.